


Junky

by opheliac_fairy



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Drug Addiction, Drug Dealing, M/M, Recreational Drug Use
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2018-01-20 04:20:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1496440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opheliac_fairy/pseuds/opheliac_fairy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is a CEO. Merlin is a drug dealer. The two mix better than you'd think.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the works of my favorite author, William S. Burroughs.

☆⌒

Arthur turned his attention to a coworker named Gwen, who had been working for his father’s company as long as he could remember. She was tan, blushing, and had curly black hair that Arthur wanted to run his hands through. Her face was sweet and freckled, with full lips that often reminded him of kissing. It didn’t take long for her to uncover Arthur’s sexual attraction, to which she responded, “Well, if I can’t change my mind about you, I’ll just have to change my mind about other things.” But Arthur got nowhere. Arthur looked for a connection in a relationship. He felt a connection with Gwen. But then Gwen shook his hand and said, “Best of luck to you,” and walked away. Next Arthur had heard, she’d moved to America.

☆⌒

Burroughs’ was a bar in town inhabited by mostly drug pushers and gay men. He had met his coworkers there at the end of every Friday, where he drank and tried to listen to their ridiculous stories.

“Someone stole my computer, and I know exactly who did it!” said Percival, “It was that secretary, or whatever he is, he said I’m going to burn in hell, and I’m positive he stole my computer to prove his point.”

“You think so?” said Arthur.

“I know so!”

Arthur could see a young man enter the bar. He wore a blue tunic and brown slacks, with a red bandana tied around his neck. He had big ears and high cheek bones, and wore black hair in a cropped short haircut. There was nothing peculiar about this boy, except the fact that he made Arthur’s cells jump in their place. He was spectral, very thin, and very pale. He smiled at someone across the bar, and waved. He wore his sleeves down low at his wrist, despite how warm it was. There was something in his pocket. Arthur assumed it was a pack of cigarettes.

Eventually, the boy noticed Arthur staring at him, and smiled awkwardly. Arthur looked away, and made sure to engage twice as much in the conversation. When he looked back, the young man was still looking at him. And Arthur could feel the connection, the endless, childish yearning to speak to this person. It reminded him of Gwen, which made him feel stupid and lonely.

Arthur left after that, excusing himself from the table, saying he felt sick.

☆⌒

On Saturday, Arthur went back to Burroughs’ by himself. The young man was already there, playing with his phone as he laughed with a girl. He looked up and saw him, and got up. He went to Arthur’s table, sat down, and smiled. He was looking pale, sick, and disheveled. But Arthur didn’t mind.

“Hi, I’m Merlin,” he said, “You were here yesterday, weren’t you?”

“I was,” said Arthur, “So were you.”

Merlin smiled. “I was. Want a drink?” Arthur said okay, and ordered a rum and coke for the two of them. “Rum? Really?”

“What’s wrong with rum?” he asked.

“Rum is disgusting. Let’s get something sweeter.”

Arthur rolled his eyes, and changed the order to the fruitiest drink they served at Burroughs’, which made Merlin scowl. “Don’t roll your eyes, it’s not my fault you have shitty taste in drinks.”

The two argued the whole night. It started out about the drinks, but then they argued about TV shows, little things that made Arthur’s cells furrow in anger. Eventually Arthur got up and left, storming out in a fit.

☆⌒

One morning, when Arthur was out jogging, he saw Merlin again. He was out with another girl, smoking a cigarette and wearing his sleeves down low again. Today he wore purple. He looked good in purple, and Arthur’s cells jumped and shiver. He was looking better today, color in his face, hair brushed and showered. He waved to Arthur, and Arthur couldn’t help but wave back. Merlin beckoned him over, and Arthur obeyed. The girl immediately left, almost running away, stuffing something in her pockets.

“What a coincidence, seeing you out here at this hour.”

“It’s six in the evening,” Arthur told him.

“Is it? I thought it was only midnight. I’ve been busy.”

“Doing what?”

“Doing nothing! Anyway, I wanted to apologize for how I acted the other night.” Merlin went on to explain that he was having an off day, that he didn’t mean all the mean things he said, that Arthur wasn’t really a bad guy. Arthur told him it was okay, and invited him out to get a drink. Merlin agreed, and they went to a bar.

Arthur talked about work, and Merlin just asked questions. “Oh, what do you do?” He was a CEO for his father’s business. “Where do you work?” Pendragon Enterprises. “How much do you make?” Enough. Eventually, the questions got awkward, and Arthur asked, “What do you do?”

“Oh, I run my own business,” Merlin said vaguely.

Arthur asked no further questions about work.


	2. Chapter 2

☆⌒

The next time Arthur was at Burroughs’ with his coworkers, Merlin was not there. He took this opportunity to talk about him. “I met the strangest guy the other day. He had the biggest ears, like a bloody elephant. And cheekbones you could cut diamonds with. But he was real cute, said he ran his own business.”

This must have been funny, as it caused Leon to laugh so hard he threw his head back. “Are you talking about Merlin Emrys? He’s a drug dealer.”

Arthur turned white. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, he sells drugs. Heroin, opium, a bunch of other stuff I can’t remember. I don’t know, he’s my sister’s friend, not mine.”

Feeling let down, Arthur looked down at his hands and kept quiet, allowing Percival to pick up in his place, “I think I’ve heard of him. Aren’t the police all over him?”

“Yeah, my sister hasn’t seen him in months because of that very reason.”

“If he’s on the run,” said Arthur, “Then why was he so willing to give me his name? How often do you hear of men named Merlin?”

“He probably thought you were one of his type.” Arthur asked what he meant by that, and Leon said, “I mean a pusher, or a buyer.”

Arthur got up and left, saying he’d had enough. No one argued.

Outside, the air was warm, and Arthur felt lonely. He missed Gwen. He missed the connection. Not one to stand being glum, Arthur walked around the city, looking for things to do. He went into a park, where he sat down on a bench and smoked a cigarette. A group of men were playing soccer, laughing and falling over each other like beginners. Arthur would have liked to join them, but was still feeling too miserable, and decided to just watch instead.

The air grew cold as it got later, and eventually Arthur shivered, and got up. He flicked his cigarette to the ground and stepped on it, and then thought of Merlin. What would he smoke?, he thought. Marijuana?

☆⌒

Arthur saw Merlin on Tuesday, when he had gone for a morning jog. He was stumbling drunkenly with people all around him. Arthur decided not to intervene, and simply kept on jogging.

They saw each other again on Wednesday, this time in the evening. Merlin looked sober, color in his cheeks, hair washed and clean. He smiled at Arthur and waved, and Arthur waved back from behind the window of a café. Merlin held up one finger, and turned around quickly, and the next thing Arthur new, they were sitting together at a table.

“Long time no see. How’ve you been? Sorry I wasn’t at Burroughs’, had some work to do. My clients get impatient when they don’t get what they want.” Arthur asked if he liked what he did. “People don’t get into my kind of business because they want to, but rather because they have to. If you know what I mean.” He winked, and Arthur had no idea what he meant, but kept quiet. “Do you like what you do?”

“Oh sure,” Arthur told him, smiling proudly. “I like being in charge. It makes me feel important.”

“Something tells me you’d feel important no matter what you do.”

Arthur sipped his tea and asked if Merlin would like one, too. Merlin declined. After an awkward silence, Arthur asked, “So what exactly do you do?”

“I told you. I run my own business. It’s small, but it pays the bills.”

“What about your… girlfriend?”

“I’m single.” Merlin smiled. “And gay. What about you?”

“The girl I was into recently moved to America.” This must’ve been sad to Merlin, as it made him frown and say, “Oh, I’m sorry. There’s plenty of fish in the sea. Take me for example.” Arthur asked if he was hitting on him. With a laugh, he said, “Maybe. Depends on how well that’d go.”

The two left the café, deciding instead to go to Burroughs’ and get drinks. They took a cab and talked about the little things, bonding, but disagreeing almost just as much. Arthur discovered Merlin had a weakness for white chocolate. Arthur hated white chocolate, and believed it was for the heathens. He also discovered Merlin owned a cat. Arthur was allergic to cats and believed they were mean creatures.

When they got to Burroughs’, Arthur ordered a rum coke, and Merlin ordered a cocktail.

“Did you intend on buying the girliest drink in the bar?” asked Arthur.

“It’s not my fault, it’s delicious,” pouted Merlin, “And there’s nothing wrong with a man ordering a girly drink.”

Arthur supposed that was true, but dared not admit that.


End file.
